credulity and wickednefs by the most cruel and exceffive tyranny, while it is held up to them as the idol of their affections, or their worship; and to which, by a strange infatuation, they continue to yield a willing obedience, notwithstanding the miferies it creates. "They blafphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues; and repented not, to give him glory."

This image is made to refemble the firft beast, but it is wholly unconnected with it, except as they both belong to Antichrift.It is the fecond which gives it life, and directs its operations. It is called the image of the first beast-which fignifies the fame union of tyranny, blafphemy, and idolatry, openly exerted; which it is to be obferved, the fecond beast does not avow, or appear to exert or maintain, but fecretly produces and upholds in the image which he caufed to be made, The form of the first beaft, it fhould be remarked, was made up of the four beasts that represented to Daniel the four great empires of the earth; but there is fome change in the order in which they are mentioned-It is not impoffible but this order may in future be

• Rev. xvi. 9.

found

found applicable to the courfe of its conquests over the kingdoms they originally reprefented; for the fecond beaft is to have power over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations, by means of the image made like the first. -We may then fuppofe that the Image has feven

I.

Since this work was first published, I have seen the following remarks in the Gentleman's Magazine for June 1799; which, though not written with any view to the fyftem adopted in thefe Volumes, do in fact contribute towards its elucidation, by fhewing the likeness of the Image to the first Beast. "The feven Heads appear to mean the confederated Republics 1. the French Republic; 2. the Batavian; 3. the Cifalpine; 4. the Ligurian; 5. the Roman; 6. the Helvetic; 7. the Piedmontefe. As the independence of the fix laft is nominally acknowledged by the firft, the Confederacy may not inaptly be compared to a Seven-headed Monster; though the defpotic influence, which France really exercifes over all the others, forbids us to recognize them as separate bodies; France "having the Mouth speaking great things."

This author's application of the ten Horns to the ten Sovereigns whom France has difpoffeffed of a part, or of the whole of their dominions, appears to be less accurate, as indeed it is likely to be, unless we confider the reign of Infidelity as already nearly expired, or as confined to France, for the feat of its power. But the Reader will clearly perceive that I confider the reign of Infidelity, or the second Beast, as likely to be extended over many kingdoms; and though it has raised up the Image of Democratic Tyranny, firft in France, Time alone can determine

whether

seven heads with the name of blafphemy, and ten horns with crowns upon them" the seven heads are explained by the angel to represent the Roman Empire, and forms of · government -the ten horns with crowns, the ten kingdoms into which the empire was broken,—and the crowns ten kings over them which were "to receive power one hour with the beast," "to give their power to him for a time, but afterwards to turn against the seat of his tyranny." It is like "unto a leopard," fignifying Swiftness, and a motley mixture of people-and in Daniel's vifion the Grecian Empire."" Its feet are as the feet of a bear," cruelly ftamping on all

whether the fame Image will not fucceffively appear in other countries previous to the termination of the power of Antichrift. Certain it is, that the fyftem, which I have prefumed to offer as an explanation of the Prophecies concerning Antichrift, does not depend upon the continuance or the deftruction of the power of France. Pofterity alone can pofitively determine refpecting its Truth or Error.

› See note, p. 409.

s See Daniel's Prophecy, p. 339, 334.

Nothing is faid in the Revelations of the fall of three of these horns as the little horn appears now in its full power, as the beast, that period of its history must be sup pofed to be paffed; and I confess there being ftill ten, inclines me to fuppofe that ten denotes an indefinite number.

its

its prey, and standing in the former vifion for Perfia" its mouth as the mouth of a lion"—which represented Affyria, or Babylon -itfelf the well known type of Antichrift, because of its pride, blafphemy, and cruel treatment of the fervants of God; and which crimes are particularly marked by the mouth of the lion, whofe tremendous roar "maketh all the beafts of the foreft to quake.” It has a mouth speaking great things and blafphemies, and it opens its mouth in blasphemy against God, to blafpheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven."— The deadly wound of one of the heads of the first beast the ten kings giving it their power for a time, and then making war against it-the conqueft of the three kingdoms mentioned by Daniel, and the power given him by the dragon against the saints, are not properly defcriptive of himself, but circumftances of his hiftory, which may or may not belong to the hiftory of the image, but with which however the history of the image will in fome refpects probably be found to agree.

Here then in this IMAGE, fet up by the power of the DRAGON, we find difplayed to our view, the fame tremendous union of civil

and

and religious tyranny which the first beast posfeffed, fupported by the falsehood and impofture of the second beaft who caufed it to be made by the dupes to his artifices. The fame blafphemy against God and his church, and his faithful fervants the fame defpotic rule. over the earth in civil and religious affairs, must be visible in this image. But it does not neceffarily follow that this perfecuting power fhould adopt the fame mode of perfecutionproceed upon the fame principles, or direct itself against the fame perfons-It does not neceffarily follow that it should speak the fame words of blafphemy, or that its defpotifm fhould wear the fame form as that which the firft beast affumed. And indeed, I cannot but think, that when the first beaft and the image are compared with attention, it will appear that a difference in these respects is ftrongly marked; and that the reign of the Image of the beaft is yet more tremendous in its effects upon the eternal interests of mankind, and even more generally oppreffive in the exertions of its civil power.-It is faid of the first beast generally, that "all the world worshipped the dragon which gave power to the beaft, and they worshipped the beaft" alfo;- fignifying the idolatrous spiritual power, and the temporal or fecular power united

VOL. I.

C C